Rail for street-railroads.



No. 720,704; PATENTBD FEB. 17, 1903.

W. KUSKB.

RAIL FOR. STREET RAILROADS. APPLICATION FILED 0M. 3, 1902.

no MODEL.

1 A l j z q a v Elyw My, m 4 Q. WM 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILHELM KUSKE, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

RAIL FOR STREET-RAILROADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 720,704, dated February 17, 1903.

Application filed October 3,1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILHELM KUSKE, a machinist, and a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Posenerstrass'e 31, Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rails for Street-Railroads, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is a new railroad-rail which is specially adapted for use of street-car lines.

In the accompanying drawings this rail is shown by Figure 1 in cross-section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4 shows the rail in plan view, showing the end of an upper rail-section. Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the joint of two upper rails and part of the fish-plate in section. Fig. 6 is a cross-section through the rail and fish-plate, and Fig. 7 shows in side view and end view a tool serving to lift and replace the rails.

The new rail offers the advantage that it can be taken up and replaced on the roadbed Without destroying the pavement. A few screws have to be loosened and tightened again to detach and to secure the rails, which therefore are specially adapted for use in large cities having a heavy traffic.

The rails are composed of two parts, the lower rail or, of T-shaped cross-section, forming the foot and the web of an ordinary rail, and the upper rail b, forming the head of an ordinary rail, which is to be placed upon the lower rail a. The latter is not exposed to any wear and tear by the wheels of the cars, and it is firmly embedded into the road. The upper or head rail alone is exposed to wear and can easily be exchanged. To this end the head-rail b is provided on its under surface with a longitudinal groove snugly fitting over the upper edge of the web of the lower rail a. The sections of the lower rails a are connected by fish-plates cof U-shaped crosssection, which serve at the same time as a support for the upper rail, which at the corresponding places is provided with the de- Serial Nol25,843. (No model.)

pressions on the lower sides. (See Fig. 6.) Screw-bolts (Z are used in the ordinary manner to connect the fish-plates or angles 0 with the rail-sections a. The upper rails 12 are screwed upon the lower rails and the fishplates 0 by means of screws 6, which are sunk with their heads into holes provided at the bottom of the ordinary grooves in which the flanges of the wheels are running.

It will be seen that the head-rail b when worn out can be replaced in a very few minutes without the necessity of taking up any part of the pavement and without interruption of the traffic. It is only necessary to loosen the screws 6 of the respective rail-section, to lift it up, and to replace it by a new one, whereupon the screws 6 are turned home again. Rails being partly worn down can be secured upon the lower rails a by interposing longitudinal keys or wedges f. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

In exchanging the head-rails, as described, the tool, Fig. 7, can be used, which is simply a key with a triangular bit It at the end, which is inserted into the groove of the rail at suitable places, where an undercut g is provided corresponding to the bit h.

The head -rails are preferably so placed over the lower rails that they cover their joints, and in this way the joints of the headrails are supported by the middle parts of the lower rails. Thus the rail-joints are well supported, which contributes greatly to the durability of the road.

The wedges f are of great service to even outthe irregularities or to bring up the headrails when the lower rails have yielded for any reason.

I claim- 1. A rail for street-car lines composed of two parts, one formed of the foot and web, and the other formed of the head, said head having a groove in its lower surface to fit over the upper edge of the web in combination with a U-shaped fish-plate connecting the sections of the lower rail and forming a support for the upper rail, the upper flange of said fish-plate being provided with tapped tion with longitudinal wedges or keys to adholes for screws pessin; through the upper just the upper rails, substantially as de- I0 rail to secure it. I scribed.

2. A rail for street-ear lines composed of In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

5 two parts, one formed of the foot and web, WILHELM KUSKE.

and the other formed of the head, said head In presence of having a groove in its lower surface to fit HENRY HASPER, over the upper edge of the web in combina- WOLDEMAR HAUPT. 

